Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 21:06     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why is that? Less kids apply?


Jr is open to students in grades 7-9 and is just as competitive as Sr which is open to students in grades 9-12
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 19:27     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why is that? Less kids apply?


I think it's the caliber of the kids, and how hard they practice music in their older teen years. Suddenly they realize it matters. Middle schoolers may not understand this as well, and families may not understand the value of All-State in middle school and 9th grade. But that's just a guess on my part.


What is the value?


It’s a really intense musical experience. My kid did it last year and was wrung out and exhilarated at the end. Got it again this year and is excited - but it’s his last year as a Jr and he’ll have to work his tail off to make Sr, which does indeed seem to be more competitive, for reasons that are unclear to me too!

But the value is to feel honored for the achievement, to play interesting music with a bunch of other kids just as into it as you are, and to stay away from your parents in a hotel for a weekend! They also get to leave school early on the Friday before.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 19:17     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why would it be, junior has 7-9th graders and senior has 10-12th graders? Both have same number of seats. It doesn’t make much sense.


See response upthread.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 18:59     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:Competitively ranking musicians is so tacky.


Except that actually is how the profession works in the orchestral world.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 18:38     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why would it be, junior has 7-9th graders and senior has 10-12th graders? Both have same number of seats. It doesn’t make much sense.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 16:00     Subject: Re:Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 15:57     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:Why is Richard Montgomery representation not as much as Blair, in terms of magnets?


Math aptitude is correlated to music aptitude.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 15:54     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:They have a really good orchestra teacher.


I'm sure they're great, but they also have dedicated students who have spent years in private instruction.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 15:02     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why is that? Less kids apply?


I think it's the caliber of the kids, and how hard they practice music in their older teen years. Suddenly they realize it matters. Middle schoolers may not understand this as well, and families may not understand the value of All-State in middle school and 9th grade. But that's just a guess on my part.


What is the value?
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 15:01     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Competitively ranking musicians is so tacky.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 14:45     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Congrats to all the All-State and MCPS Honors selectees!
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 13:58     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why is that? Less kids apply?


Junior All-State is 7th grade (I believe) to 9th grade. We've known kids who gotten into Jr all-state but could not get into the senior level.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 11:58     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why is that? Less kids apply?


I think it's the caliber of the kids, and how hard they practice music in their older teen years. Suddenly they realize it matters. Middle schoolers may not understand this as well, and families may not understand the value of All-State in middle school and 9th grade. But that's just a guess on my part.
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 11:53     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Remind me again what the pros are for getting in All State or All County, especially for a non music major student.


Ivy Ivy Ivy


That's the stereotype, but my DD, who is in MCYO and All-State, is definitely not gunning for status. We want the best fit college. She will go where she's accepted and wants to go.

But PP is correct that college admissions are based on measurable achievements. The "measurable" part is difficult to show unless you're admitted to a selective group like All-State, that the 26 year old admissions person can recognize, or if you can cite competitions you've won. Simply saying "I've played violin for 10 years" isn't going to get your anywhere. Which personally I think is really sad. People should be able to enjoy their hobbies, whatever they are, without necessarily jumping through all these showy hoops to get into a decent college! Thank goodness my kid is fine with a few of the hoops, just because her friends are there.

Also, and then I'll get off my soapboax, colleges have become much more selective than in the past. I've got a sophomore in college. The year he applied to college, two of his acquaintances got rejected in-state from UMD, even though they had 4.2 weighted GPAs, they'd done AP classes, and had good test scores. So when you say these families are targeting Ivies... most of these kids will not end up at Ivies. They'll attend second or third tier institutions. And be happy there!






is she also in the blair magnet?


No, she didn't want a long commute. She's at her home high school, which is not well represented in that roster. But we know a lot of names on it, through MCYO and private studios and such.

Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 11:53     Subject: Blaire killed it in all state

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What about Junior All State?

Junior All-State is not that hard to get into. The Senior All-State Orchestra is incredibly competitive.


Why is that? Less kids apply?